Australian Museum Minerals Gallery
Introduction
The Australian Museum’s extraordinary minerals collection, curated over almost 200 years, tells a truly amazing story of our planet’s geological history.
![Amethyst geode D.47883](https://media.australian.museum/media/dd/images/D047883_0004_copy_.width-2000.format-jpeg.jpegquality-60.1760f0d.jpg)
![Amethyst geode D.47883](https://media.australian.museum/media/dd/images/D047883_0004_copy_.width-1600.format-jpeg.jpegquality-60.f2d36e4.jpg)
The Australian Museum Minerals Gallery
The Australian Museum Minerals Gallery is a brilliant showcase of the full breadth of the Australian Museum’s collections in the Earth Sciences.
![Gold on Quartz D.57229](https://media.australian.museum/media/dd/images/43_D57229_Gold_on_.width-2000.format-jpeg.jpegquality-60.0ab35d5.jpg)
![Gold on Quartz D.57229](https://media.australian.museum/media/dd/images/43_D57229_Gold_on_.width-1600.format-jpeg.jpegquality-60.b8246e1.jpg)
History of the collections
The rocks and minerals housed in the Australian Museum’s extraordinary collection, curated over almost 200 years, tell a truly amazing story our history.
![Charles Anderson was appointed mineralogist of the Australian Museum in 1901.](https://media.australian.museum/media/dd/images/V15776.a3ebbf1.width-2000.format-jpeg.jpegquality-60.b9612c2.jpg)
![Charles Anderson was appointed mineralogist of the Australian Museum in 1901.](https://media.australian.museum/media/dd/images/V15776.a3ebbf1.width-1600.format-jpeg.jpegquality-60.97cd4cc.jpg)
Learn about minerals
Minerals are the building blocks of our planet. Discover what they reveal about the history of Earth and our solar system and what makes them so essential to our existence.
![Mineralogy & Petrology Collection Area 2018](https://media.australian.museum/media/dd/images/Mineralogy__Petrol.width-2000.format-jpeg.jpegquality-60.35c359e.jpg)
![Mineralogy & Petrology Collection Area 2018](https://media.australian.museum/media/dd/images/Mineralogy__Petrol.width-1600.format-jpeg.jpegquality-60.4d73e0b.jpg)
Mineral resources and environmental impacts
Throughout history, civilisations and empires have been built on mineral resources and they are an integral part of our every day life. However our excessive consumption means reducing our environmental impact is a priority at both global and local levels.
![Copper D.60703](https://media.australian.museum/media/dd/images/D034810_0003_copy..width-2000.format-jpeg.jpegquality-60.e6b1f35.jpg)
![Copper D.60703](https://media.australian.museum/media/dd/images/D034810_0003_copy_.width-1600.format-jpeg.jpegquality-60.ba5922f.jpg)
Rocks from space
Rocks and minerals hold the secrets to the origins and composition of our solar system. They are a fossil record of planetary evolution and can tell us about the processes that formed planet Earth.
![Meterorite, tektite. Showing structure on middle surface. Buckanbe, NSW. Microscope image by Nina Kononenko.](https://media.australian.museum/media/dd/images/iAUR147806.a46b071.width-2000.format-jpeg.jpegquality-60.228398b.jpg)
![Meterorite, tektite. Showing structure on middle surface. Buckanbe, NSW. Microscope image by Nina Kononenko.](https://media.australian.museum/media/dd/images/iAUR147806.a46b071.width-1600.format-jpeg.jpegquality-60.fdaa15b.jpg)
Minerals from Australia
The Australian collection is renowned for its mineral diversity, crystal perfection, aesthetic appeal and high Australian content.
![Banded Iron Formation](https://media.australian.museum/media/dd/images/Banded_iron_format.width-2000.format-jpeg.jpegquality-60.3e3d2a1.jpg)
![Banded Iron Formation](https://media.australian.museum/media/dd/images/Banded_iron_format.width-1600.format-jpeg.jpegquality-60.23d3ada.jpg)
Albert Chapman Collection
The Albert Chapman Collection consists of 820 specimens renowned worldwide for its mineralogical diversity, crystal perfection, aesthetic appeal and high Australian content.
![Angelsite D.50456](https://media.australian.museum/media/dd/images/Anglesite_banner.fe5bb93.width-2000.format-png.0f48d30.png)
![Angelsite D.50456](https://media.australian.museum/media/dd/images/Anglesite_mobile_banner_.6c61537.width-1600.format-png.7c8578a.png)
George Smith Collection
The George Smith Collection contains superb and rare specimens obtained from famous mines in Australia and around the world.
![George Smith Collection - Smithsonite stalactite D.27965](https://media.australian.museum/media/dd/images/59_D27965_Smithson.width-2000.format-jpeg.jpegquality-60.4572ba5.jpg)
![George Smith Collection - Smithsonite stalactite D.27965](https://media.australian.museum/media/dd/images/59_D27965_Smithson.width-1600.format-jpeg.jpegquality-60.122c2d9.jpg)
Warren Somerville Collection
The Warren Somerville Collection is a world- class collection that contains some of the finest mineral specimens from over 100 Australian mine sites and numerous overseas localities.
![Gem crystal specimen, Beryl (heliodor) - Warren Somerville collection](https://media.australian.museum/media/dd/images/138_AFFM_gems_Bath.width-2000.format-jpeg.jpegquality-60.3c94a6c.jpg)
![Gem crystal specimen, Beryl (heliodor) - Warren Somerville collection](https://media.australian.museum/media/dd/images/138_AFFM_gems_Bath.width-1600.format-jpeg.jpegquality-60.4313162.jpg)
Sir Douglas Mawson Collection
The Sir Douglas Mawson Collection contains 2000 Antarctic rock and mineral specimens found during his heroic Australasian Antarctic Expedition.
![Sir Douglas Mawson Collection composite](https://media.australian.museum/media/dd/images/146_Meteorite_Coll.width-2000.format-jpeg.jpegquality-60.8d38ec9.jpg)
![Sir Douglas Mawson Collection composite](https://media.australian.museum/media/dd/images/146_Meteorite_Coll.width-1600.format-jpeg.jpegquality-60.47964a9.jpg)
Australian Museum Gold Collection
The Australian Museum Gold Collection contains over 980 specimens from Australia and overseas that were donated, exchanged or purchased throughout the life of the collection.
![Gold Collection - 'Welcome' gold nugget replica](https://media.australian.museum/media/dd/images/D058140_0001_banne.width-2000.format-jpeg.jpegquality-60.1a28f3c.jpg)
![Gold Collection - 'Welcome' gold nugget replica](https://media.australian.museum/media/dd/images/D058140_0001_mobil.width-1600.format-jpeg.jpegquality-60.3d46706.jpg)
Australian Museum Opal Collection
The Australian Museum Opal Collection includes opals from both sedimentary and volcanic origins, ranging from common and precious opals.
![Black Opal D.44323](https://media.australian.museum/media/dd/images/37_D44313_Black_op.width-2000.format-jpeg.jpegquality-60.6c64d5a.jpg)
![Black Opal D.44323](https://media.australian.museum/media/dd/images/37_D44313_Black_op.width-1600.format-jpeg.jpegquality-60.c6ef3d1.jpg)
Australian Museum Meteorite Collection
The Australian Museum’s Meteorite Collection is the oldest and one of the largest and most diverse in Australia.
![Mundrabilla Iron Meteorite DR.11215](https://media.australian.museum/media/dd/images/Mundrabilla_Iron_M.width-2000.format-jpeg.jpegquality-60.8859d5a.jpg)
![Mundrabilla Iron Meteorite DR.11215](https://media.australian.museum/media/dd/images/Mundrabilla_Iron_M.width-1600.format-jpeg.jpegquality-60.8339ad7.jpg)
Australian Museum Ornamental Mineral Collection
The Australian Museum Ornamental Mineral Collection consists of exquisitely carved, shaped and polished minerals tracing back to acquisitions in 1878.
![Nephrite Jade carving 'Nurse with Goats' D.46836](https://media.australian.museum/media/dd/images/Nephrite_Jade_carv.width-2000.format-jpeg.jpegquality-60.1ba677e.jpg)
![Nephrite Jade carving 'Nurse with Goats' D.46836](https://media.australian.museum/media/dd/images/Nephrite_Jade_carv.width-1600.format-jpeg.jpegquality-60.5089cb1.jpg)